--- title: "Time allocation in primary care office visits. | Sutter Health" description: "Efforts to improve the quality of care need to recognize the time pressure on both patients and physicians, the effects of financial incentives, and the time costs of improving patient-physician interactions." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/time-allocation-in-primary-care-office-visits-1055312655" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Time allocation in primary care office visits. # Time allocation in primary care office visits. Tai-Seale M, McGuire TG, & Zhang W. _Health Serv Res. 42(5):1871-94._ 2007-10-01 ## Abstract OBJECTIVES: To use an innovative videotape analysis method to examine how clinic time was spent during elderly patients' visits to primary care physicians. Secondary objectives were to identify the factors that influence time allocations. DATA SOURCES: A convenience sample of 392 videotapes of routine office visits conducted between 1998 and 2000 from multiple primary care practices in the United States, supplemented by patient and physician surveys. RESEARCH DESIGN: Videotaped visits were examined for visit length and time devoted to specific topics--a novel approach to study time allocation. A survival analysis model analyzed the effects of patient, physician, and physician practice setting on how clinic time was spent. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Very limited amount of time was dedicated to specific topics in office visits. The median visit length was 15.7 minutes covering a median of six topics. About 5 minutes were spent on the longest topic whereas the remaining topics each received 1.1 minutes. While time spent by patient and physician on a topic responded to many factors, length of the visit overall varied little even when contents of visits varied widely. Macro factors associated with each site had more influence on visit and topic length than the nature of the problem patients presented. CONCLUSIONS: Many topics compete for visit time, resulting in small amount of time being spent on each topic. A highly regimented schedule might interfere with having sufficient time for patients with complex or multiple problems. Efforts to improve the quality of care need to recognize the time pressure on both patients and physicians, the effects of financial incentives, and the time costs of improving patient-physician interactions. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17850524) ## Research topics - [Aging and Longevity](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Aging+and+Longevity%5C%22%22) - [Health Policy](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Policy%5C%22%22) - [Health Services](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Services%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Machine-based expert recommendations and insurance choices among Medicare Part D enrollees.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/computerized-insurance-choices-in-medicare-pt-d-enrollees-1055312523) Bundorf MK, Polyakova M, Stults C, Meehan A, Klimke R, Pun T, Chan AS, Tai-Seale M. Health Aff (Millwood). 38(3):482-490. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05017. 2019 Mar 01 - Publication ### [Patient experiences in selecting a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/pt-experiences-selecting-medicare-part-d-rx-drug-plan-1055312300) Stults CD, Baskin AS, Bundorf MK, Tai-Seale M. J Patient Experience. https://doi.org/10.1177/2374373517739413 2017 Nov 21 - Publication ### [Medicare annual preventive care visits: use increased among fee-for-service patients, but many do not participate.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/medicare-preventive-care-in-fee-for-svce-pts-1055312874) Chung S, Lesser LI, Lauderdale DS, Johns NE, Palaniappan LP, Luft HS. Health Aff (Millwood). 34(1):11-20. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2014.0483. 2015 Jan 01 - Publication ### [How home hospice care facilitates patient and family engagement.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/home-hospice-facilitates-pt-family-engagemt-1055312538) Dillon EC. Death Stud. 1-10. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2016 Nov 04 - Publication ### [Physician practice participation in accountable care organizations: the emergence of the unicorn.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/physician-practice-participation-in-acos-1055312896) Shortell SM, McClellan SR, Ramsay PP, Casalino LP, Ryan AM, Copeland KR. Health Serv Res. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12167. \[Epub ahead of print\] 2014 Mar 15 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/time-allocation-in-primary-care-office-visits-1055312655#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Time allocation in primary care office visits."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/time-allocation-in-primary-care-office-visits-1055312655#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Time allocation in primary care office visits.","headline":"Time allocation in primary care office visits.","abstract":"OBJECTIVES: To use an innovative videotape analysis method to examine how clinic time was spent during elderly patients' visits to primary care physicians. Secondary objectives were to identify the factors that influence time allocations. DATA SOURCES: A convenience sample of 392 videotapes of routine office visits conducted between 1998 and 2000 from multiple primary care practices in the United States, supplemented by patient and physician surveys. RESEARCH DESIGN: Videotaped visits were examined for visit length and time devoted to specific topics--a novel approach to study time allocation. A survival analysis model analyzed the effects of patient, physician, and physician practice setting on how clinic time was spent. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Very limited amount of time was dedicated to specific topics in office visits. The median visit length was 15.7 minutes covering a median of six topics. About 5 minutes were spent on the longest topic whereas the remaining topics each received 1.1 minutes. While time spent by patient and physician on a topic responded to many factors, length of the visit overall varied little even when contents of visits varied widely. Macro factors associated with each site had more influence on visit and topic length than the nature of the problem patients presented. CONCLUSIONS: Many topics compete for visit time, resulting in small amount of time being spent on each topic. A highly regimented schedule might interfere with having sufficient time for patients with complex or multiple problems. 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